Wagon loader



May 4 1926. 1,582,964-

W. H. BOSWORTH- WAGON LOADER Filed March 21 1925 Sheets-SheetZ ATTORNEY WAGON LOADER Filed March 21 1925 v 3 Sheds-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR BY mmw/ ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATE S, PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BOSWORTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB: TO GEORGE HAISS'MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WAGON LOADER.

Applicationfiled March 21, 1925. Serial No. 17,160.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. Bos- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, county of Bro-11X, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVagon Loaders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wagon loaders of the type employing an elevator mechanism adapted to transfer material from a pile into a hopper preparatory to its be ing delivered or loaded.

An important object of the invention is to provide for use in connection with a wagon loader of the type mentioned an improved hopper construction'having means associated therewith for insuring accuracy in measuring definite quantities of material to be loaded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel 'means for varying the volumetric capacity of the hopper to meet varying requirements in so far as predetermined quantities of material to be delivered are concerned.

A. further object of the invention is to provide, in combination, a cutting-off means for closing the hopper and simultaneously removing excess top material from the hopper to insure a predetermined remaining amount and means for necessitating discontinuing the operation of the elevator mechanism before operation of the cutting-off means is made possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination a means making impossible the operation of the elevating mechanism until the hopper has been opened to receive the elevated material.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a hopper-dumping means, means cooperating therewith to retain the cutting-off device in a given position so long as the dumping means is maintained open.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wagon loader having my invention incorporated therein.

Figure 2 is a side' elevation of'a variable capacity hopper having associated therewith a scraper or cutting-off device.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the hopper shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of'the hopper having associated therewith operating means for the cutting-off device and locking means for. the cutting-off device and elevator control, respectively.

Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 4 showing the locking means in their respective opposite positions.

Figure 6, is a detail view showing a looking device adapted to cooperate with a hopper dumping means and cut-off device for locking the loader in a given, position so long as the dumping device remains open.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown what I at present consider the preferred form of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates, as a whole, a tractor embodying a power plant such as an internal combustion engine 6, adapted to be connected to a caterpillar traction device 7 and further adapted. to be connected with an elevator 8, the elevator being employed to lift the material to be loaded from a pile at the rear of the loader into a hopper indicated by the numeral 9. This hopper is mounted upon a suitable frame structure 10 and comprises a plurality of vertically disposed angle irons 11, to the outer faces of which are secured side walls 12, the side walls in turn being connected with wing members 13 forming an inclinedbot'tom for, the hopper. To the hopper, and in proximity to the exit opening 14 thereof, there is pivotally connected a chute 15 adapted to be swung about its point of pivotal connection with the hopper, from the positions shown in, Figures 1 and 4 to the positions shown in Figures 2 and 5, through the instrnmentality of a suitable operating mechanism 16, This operating mechanism comprises a lever 17 pivotally connected to one of the angle irons 11 by means of a bearing 18, the lever 17 being connected to an arm 19 provided with a counter weight 20. The lever 17 is also connected to the chute '15 by means of a link 21 so'that when the lever 17 is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, the chute is elevated to its position shown in Figures 2 and 5.

In order to be able to vary the volumetric capacity of the hopper to meet certain requirements, I provide a telescopic section 22 comprising side walls 23 suitably connected to angle irons 24 so arranged as to be raised and lowered with respect to the angle irons 11 which function as guides for the angle irons 24. In order to lock the upper section 22 in a given position, bolts 25 may be employed which are carried by the angle irons 11 and project through elongated slots 26 formed in the angle irons 24.

Upon the upper section 22 of the hopper is arranged a horizontally movable cut-ofi device 27 which comprises a base plate 28 secured to reinforcing ribs 29 which operate upon a series of rollers 30 carried by suitable supports 31 adjacent the intake opening 32 of the hopper. The base plate 28 carries a guard 33 adjacent the opening 34 formed in the base plate, the guard comprising a plurality of vertically extending walls 35 which serve to direct the material from the elevator 8 into the hopper 9 when the guard is so positioned, as shown in Figure 5, that the opening 34 in the plate 28 coincides with the intake opening 32 of the hopper.

As is apparent the cut-off device functions as a means for removing excess top-material from the hopper so that when the hopper is opened by lowering the chute 15 an exact predetermined quantity of material may be delivered. To illustrate, if the hopper 9 is filled to such an extent that excess material projects up through the opening 32, the elevator mechanism is stopped by means of a control lever 36, whereupon the cut-0H device is moved from its position shown in Figure 5 to its position shown in Figure 4 through the instrumentality of an operating mechanism indicated, as a whole, by the numeral 37. Upon moving the cutoff device, as above mentioned, the excess material is carried by the same onto a ledge or platform 38 located at the rear as viewed in Figures 4 and 5. The operating mechanism for the cut-off device comprises a vertically disposed shaft 39 suitably journaled to one of .the angle irons 11, the upper end of the shaft being provided with a vertically adjustable crank 40 pivotally connected to a link 41 which in turn is pivoted to the guard 33. To the lower end of the shaft 39 there is connected an operating arm 42 to which is pivotally connected a suitable handle 43. By moving the arm 42 rearwardly as viewed in Figure 5 the cut-off device 27, as will be readily appreciated, is thereby moved from its position shown in Figure 5 to its position shown in Figure 4. On the other hand by moving the lever 42 forward, as viewed in Figure 4, the cut-off device may be returned from its position shown in Figure 4 to its position shown in Figure 5, any excess material which may have been carried onto the platform 38 by the cut-01f device being, of course, deposited within the hopper upon return movement of the cut-off device to its position shown in Figure 5.

In order, however, to discontinue operation of the elevator 8 before moving the cutoil device from its position shown in Figure 5 to its position shown in Figure 4, I have provided an inter-lock device located intermediate the control mechanism 37 and the elevator control lever 36. This inter-lock device comprises a movable abutment 44 pivotally connected to the frame 5, the abutment being connected, by means of a link 45, to a relatively short arm 46 carried by the shaft 39. lVith the various elements positioned as shown in Figure 5, it is obvious that the cut-off device 27 cannot be moved to its position shown in Figure 4 until the control lever 36 has been moved from its position shown in Figure 5 to its position shown in Figure 4, such movement being adapted, through the instrumentality of a proper clutch mechanism, not shown, to discontinue the operation of the elevator 8. By moving the control lever 36 to its position shown in Figure 4 clearance between the same and the abutment 44 is afforded, as a result of which the operating mechanism 37 maybe so moved as to cause the cut-off device 27 to assume its position shown in Figure 4. With the abutment 44 now located intermediate the control lever 36 and the frame 5 it becomes impossible to start the elevator 8 until the cut-off mechanism is moved from its position shown in Figure 4 to its position shown in Figure 5. Upon such movement the operating lever 36 may be moved forward to its position shown in Figure 5 thus causing the elevator 8 to resume its operation,

Not only does the cut-off device 27, heretofore described, afford a means for removing the excess top-material from the hopper but it functions as a means, due to the presence of the base 28, for closing the inlet opening 32 of the hopper to preclude the entrance of any material into the hopper which may, by accident or otherwise, fall from the elevator 8 after the operation of the same has been discontinued.

Under certain conditions it becomes desirable to lock the cut-ofi device 27 in the position shown in Figure 4 so long as the eXit opening 14 of the hopper remains open, or, in other words, so long as the chute 15 re mains in its lowermost position. In order to meet this requirement, I have provided a locking means depending for its operation upon the position of the chute 15. This locking means comprises an elongated arm 47 pivot-ally connected to the hopper 9 at its upper end and provided at its lower end wit an elongated slot 48 adapted for the reception of a pin or bolt 49 carried by the chute 15. The arm 47 is formed, at its upper end, with a finger 50 carrying a roller 51 adapted to engage the lower flange of one of the reinforcing ribs 29 when the hopper is in its lowermost position. The pressure exerted by the roller 51 issuch, due to the" weight of the chute 15, that return of the cut-off device 27 to its position shown in Figure-5 is made impossible and consequently the elevator 8 cannot be started until the chute 15 has again been closed.

Having thus described'm'y invention what I claim is:

1. In a wagon loader, an elevatoradapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper havin an inlet opening and adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded, means for varying the volumetric capacity of the hopper, and out-off means adapted to be moved across said inlet opening to remove excess top-material from said hopper. 1

2. In a wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate the material to be loaded, a hopper having an inlet opening and adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded and means adapted to be moved in one direction across said inlet opening to remove excess top-material from said hopper, and to be moved in an opposite direction across said inlet opening to deposite the removed excess top-material in said hopper.

3. In a wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate the material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded, means adapted to be operated to remove excess top-material from said hopper, means for actuating said elevator, means for controlling the actuation of said elevator, and means adapted to so cooperate with said controlling means as to prevent the operation of said top-materialremoving means until such time as said control means has been so operated as to stop the operation of said elevator.

4. In a wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate the material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded, means adapted to be operated to remove excess top-material from said hopper, means for actuating said elevator, means for controlling the actuation of said elevator, means adapted to so cooperate with said controlling means as to prevent the operation of said top-materialremoving means until such time as said control means has been so operated as to stop the operation of said elevator, dumping means for said hopper, and means adapted to cooperate with said dumping means and said top-material-removing means to prevent return of the latter named means to normal position until such time as the dumping means has been moved to closed position. v

5. In axwagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate materialto' be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive from. said elevator the material to be loaded, and: out-oil means adapted to removeexcess top-material. from said hopper, saidcut-otf means being'in the form ot alaterally movable leveling device adapted to be moved across the receiving end of said hopper.

6. In a Wagon lo'ader,.an elevator adapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded, cut-off means adapted to remove excess top-material from said hopper, said cut-oft means being in the form of a laterally movable leveling device adapted to be moved across the receiving end of said hopper, and a plurality of rollers upon which said leveling device. is adapted to be carried and over which said leveling device is adapted to operate.-

7. In a wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive from said elevator the material to be loaded, cut-ofi' means adapted to remove excess top-material from said hopper, said cut-oil" means being in the form of a laterally movable leveling device adapted to be moved across the receiving end of said hopper, a platform associated with said cut-off device, and a guard associated with said leveling device and adapted to deliver the excess top-material to said platform.

8. In a wagon loader, a conveyor adapted to elevate the material to be loaded, means for actuating said elevator, control means comprising a manually operated lever for controlling the operation of said elevator, a laterally movable cut-off device adapted to move across said hopper to remove excess top-material, means for actuating said cut-ofi' device, and means associated with said cut-ofl device actuating means for so engaging said manually operated lever when in one position as to prevent movement of said cut-ofii' device until said control lever has been moved to an opposite position.

9. In a wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive the material from said elevator, means for operating said elevator, means comprising a control lever for controlling the operation of said elevator, said control lever being adapted to be moved to one position to stop the elevator and to an opposite position to start the elevator, a cut-0H device adapted to be moved across said hopper to remove excess top material and to close said hopper, means for operat ing said cut-off device, and means associated with said cut-off device and adapted to so cooperate With said control lever as to prevent movement of said cut-off device to hopper closing position until said control lever has been so moved as to stop the operation of said elevator.

10. In a Wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper adapted to receive the material from said elevator, means for operating said elevator, means comprising a control lever for controlling the operation of said elevator, said control lever being adapted to be moved to one position to stop the elevator and to an opposite position to start the elevator, av

cut-oft device adapted to be moved across said hopper to remove excess top material and to close said hopper, means for operating said cut-off device, and means associated With said cut-off device and adapted to so cooperate with said control lever as to prevent movement of said cut-oft device to hopper closing position until said control lever has been so moved as to stop the operation of said elevator, the last named means being adapted to also so cooperate With said control lever When the cut-off device is so positioned as to close said hopper as to prevent said control lever from being so moved as to start said elevator until said cut-0H device has been so moved as to open said hopper.

11. In a Wagon loader, an elevator adapted to elevate material to be loaded, a hopper having an inlet opening and adapted to re ceive from said elevator the material to be loaded, and means adapted to be moved in one direction across said inlet opening to close said hopper, remove excess topmaterial from said hopper, and thereafter retain the removed excess material, said means being adapted to be moved in an opposite direction across said inlet opening to open said hopper and deposit the removed excess topmaterial in the hopper.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

WILLIAM H. BOSWORTH. 

